Chapter 79
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Finding Khushi
Part 19
Section 6
Pam & Sim looked at Khushi sitting in the lounge.
"What do you think Lisa said to her?", Pam asked her accomplice.
"No idea. But you can trust Lisa the witch to draw blood. Chamkili looked pale after the bathroom episode.", Sim smiled.
Pam nodded but frowned. "But she is still here. I thought the bird would have flown far away by now. Wants to be Mrs. Arnav Singh Raizada, does she? We will make her Mrs Arnav Singh Raizada alright!"
Sim said with false pity, "Poor Chamkili!"
"Follow my lead. And keep an eye out for ASR.", Pam warned.
Sim nodded, looking around nervously.
"Chamkili, are you here to see ASR?", Pam asked.
Khushi looked up startled, and then smiled, "Ji."
"He is in a meeting.", said Sim sympathetically. "You will have to wait a while."
"That's alright.", Khushi smiled.
Pam said, "Chamkili, we are sorry."
Khushi looked at her in surprise.
"That day, during Lisa's photoshoot...", Pam hesitated.
Sim continued, "Please forgive us, Chamkili."
Khushi frowned.
"The juice fell on the furcoat because of us. And you had to take the blame.", Pam said, a contrite look on her face.
"It is alright.", Khushi said.
"We were scared of losing our jobs...", Sim said.
Khushi nodded.
"You know Lisa's bad temper and bitchiness! Can you blame us for being scared of her?", Pam asked.
Khushi smiled wanly.
"Her screech!", Sim shuddered.
"And ASR always listens to her.", Pam said. "She has a way of making men follow her like lambs, and ASR is no different.", Pam complained. "Sim, do you remember the way she kicked up a fuss when ASR was late that day?"
Sim nodded. "You won't believe this, Chamkili. ASR and Lisa were going away to spend the weekend together at his farm house, and ASR was late picking her up. He was in a meeting here, and she came here all furious and spitting fire. She shouted at everyone and made such a nuisance of herself that ASR had to leave the meeting room and come out to pacify her."
Khushi swallowed her shock and grief, sitting frozen in her chair.
"And when ASR sent a big bouquet of red roses to her?", Pam prompted Sim.
"You won't believe this, Chamkili. She was so happy to get the bouquet that she came with it to the office, threw out the managers ASR was talking to, and hugged and kissed him in his office room!", said Sim.
Khushi looked at her locked fingers, willing them not to tremble.
"I was unfortunate enough to knock on the door when they were kissing, and..." Pam held her hand to her heart. "The way she shouted at me! I still have nightmares about it."
Khushi couldn't sit there any longer. She made to get up.
Aman came to her rescue without knowing it. "Khushiji, I am sorry. The meeting will take another hour or more. Shall I let boss know that you are waiting?"
"No. No, Amanji. I will go home. It is getting late.", Khushi managed to say.
Pam & Sim vanished from Aman's presence like mist in sunlight.
Aman escorted Khushi to the door.
"Shall I arrange a car...?"
"No.. no.. It is very kind of you, but my rickshaw is waiting..."
Khushi went home, grateful for the darkness that hid her tears and her shivering body and Happyji's undemanding company. She needed to talk to Arnavji. There was no other way out. But not before she had composed herself a little.
Khushi walked into her house to be greeted by Buaji.
"Lo aa gayi Sanka Devi! Why were you so long at the temple, Nandkisore? Were you planning to run away with the sant?", Buaji teased her. "Was he handsome, Titliyaa? A competition for Arnav Bitwaa?"
Khushi smiled wanly.
"Anyway, it is good that you returned at least now, Nandkisore. Arnav Bitwaa called earlier to say that he will be coming here tonight. He has some meeting, and so will be late. But he will come for certain.", Buaji declared.
Khushi took a deep breath. So he would come home tonight. Good. A lot needed to be said. And her room would give them the privacy to talk openly.
"I will wash and change clothes, Buaji, and then lie down for a while. I have a slight headache. If Arnavji comes, please ask him to come to my room."
Dressed in her white suit, Khushi opened her box. In it was an album with photos of her parents, Jiji, & Buaji, pictures of Salman Khan and other actors and actresses, her school photos... She opened it.
Dried red rose petals stared back at her. From the big bouquet Arnavji had sent her. Along with the card he had sent her.
Khushi blinked her tears away, and shut the album. She put it away in the box, and placed the box out of her sight.
Arnav left the conference hall and strode to his office. Finally! He was free to meet Khushi. He just had to get his coat & laptop bag...
"Boss, Khushiji came to see you when you were in the meeting.", Aman smiled.
Arnav stared at him in surprise, his heart leaping in anticipation.
"Why didn't you call me?", Arnav bit out furiously even though it was the rule in his office that nothing & no one should disturb ASR while he was in a meeting. Any employee who forgot the rule would find himself unemployed at the earliest.
Aman smiled. "I offered to do so, knowing that you wouldn't mind. But Khushiji said that she would wait for you here."
"Where is she?", Arnav strode to the glass wall to look down, his eyes searching for one glimpse of her lovely face.
Aman smiled. "Ji, she waited for a long time and then went home."
Arnav opened his mouth to blast Aman to the next world, but held his tongue. No harm was done. She would be at home, and he could spend time with her without being disturbed every few minutes by work issues.
Arnav nodded, and marched out of the room on quick feet.
Khushi heard Arnavji's car halt outside her door.
He would be coming in any moment. She had to talk to him, tell him the truth, and listen to whatever he had to say. Without crying...
No more tears, she told herself. The time for crying was over. Now it was the time to find out if Lisaji had been speaking the truth or not, if Pamji and Simji were lying... or not...
She heard the low murmur of conversation between Buaji, Amma, & Arnavji. Her throat felt parched, her heart was threatening to race out of her rib cage, and her palms were wet with sweat.
She had to be dignified. Act her age. She had to know if their marriage stood a chance, if it had a future... It was a matter of life and death.. for her... She was done running away.
Arnavji appeared in her doorway.
"Khushi... Aman told me you waited for me today evening..."
Khushi drank in Arnavji's form. He looked exhausted, slight grooves of weariness bracketing his lips, a frown on his forehead...
He strode into the room, unable to stay away from her a moment longer. He pulled her off the bed and into his arms.
"Khushi... Khushi... Don't stay away from me, Khushi... I can't... I can't take it...", he whispered into her ear.
Her self talk proved worthless. Tears filled her eyes and gushed down her cheeks. She pulled him harder into her arms and sobbed her heart out.
"Arnavji... Arnavji...", she whispered in between sobs.
"Khushi... don't cry, Khushi... Khushi...", he murmured as he rubbed her back to soothe her.
Khushi sobbed harder, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
"Khushi, you will fall sick.. Khushi, don't cry... Khushi, why are you crying?", Arnav asked, feeling his heart ache along with hers.
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